Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
- Big T
- Moderator
- Posts: 5650
- Joined: September 1st, 2013, 2:40 pm
- Title: Go Getter
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Backyard Boys
- Location: Lower Alabama
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
I don't use any primer, just high temp paint.
Measure Twice.....Cut Three Times.
- Squiggle
- Expert
- Posts: 2611
- Joined: December 19th, 2015, 5:04 pm
- Title: Reformed non-smoker!
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Mole Creek, Tasmania
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Yeah, I just paint too. 

Formerly known as "Hey you there in the bushes!"
- ajfoxy
- Expert
- Posts: 2254
- Joined: April 12th, 2016, 8:07 pm
- Title: Neophyte Smoker Bldr
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Looking good. 

Learning generally boils down to "Repetition or the avoidance of pain", some people learn by doing, some by watching and some just have to pee on the electric fence.
Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. Henry Ford
Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. Henry Ford
-
- Wants to build a smoker
- Posts: 31
- Joined: October 9th, 2017, 10:53 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Well it's been a little bit since I posted my progress. Everything has been pretty smooth sailing and about ready finish it up soon. Built the firebox out of 3/16 and welded it up to the cook chamber. Not a welder by any means but I'm pretty happy with most of my welds. Some are crappy and got ground down others looked good enough to leave! All and all I like it! Here are some pics. Let me know what you all think, if there is anything I'm missing. Hoping to run a test burn this week.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
- Big T
- Moderator
- Posts: 5650
- Joined: September 1st, 2013, 2:40 pm
- Title: Go Getter
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Backyard Boys
- Location: Lower Alabama
- Weldun
- Expert
- Posts: 583
- Joined: December 24th, 2015, 3:40 pm
- Title: I'm no expert
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Northern Indiana
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Looks incredible can't wait to see the Q
Grandma always said "if ya can't be handsome ya better at least be handy"
- Squiggle
- Expert
- Posts: 2611
- Joined: December 19th, 2015, 5:04 pm
- Title: Reformed non-smoker!
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Mole Creek, Tasmania
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Looks awesome dude, well done! 

Formerly known as "Hey you there in the bushes!"
- Rodcrafter
- Moderator
- Posts: 8456
- Joined: July 21st, 2012, 5:46 pm
- Title: Member
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Orlando, Florida
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank

Current Smokers: Backyard RF Offset and Hybrid RF Offset trailer rig with Cowboy cooker and fish fryer, always room for more........
-
- Wants to build a smoker
- Posts: 31
- Joined: October 9th, 2017, 10:53 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
How well does powder coating hold up on the firebox. If the firebox is not insolated?
-
- Wants to build a smoker
- Posts: 31
- Joined: October 9th, 2017, 10:53 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Almost finished. How many coats of high temp Rust-Oleum do you guys do!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
- Big T
- Moderator
- Posts: 5650
- Joined: September 1st, 2013, 2:40 pm
- Title: Go Getter
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Backyard Boys
- Location: Lower Alabama
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
I normally put 2 or 3 coats on it or however far my paint goes. It doesn't matter how much that you put on top of the FB because it eventually burns off anyway.



Measure Twice.....Cut Three Times.
- temurf
- Expert
- Posts: 916
- Joined: May 12th, 2016, 7:37 pm
- Title: Train Driver
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Rednecks con Fuego
- Location: El Paso, Texas
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank

That is one good looking cooker dude.
Yer gonna like what we've been smokin'.
- Rodcrafter
- Moderator
- Posts: 8456
- Joined: July 21st, 2012, 5:46 pm
- Title: Member
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Orlando, Florida
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Yep nice rig
Making memories!
Making memories!
Current Smokers: Backyard RF Offset and Hybrid RF Offset trailer rig with Cowboy cooker and fish fryer, always room for more........
-
- Wants to build a smoker
- Posts: 31
- Joined: October 9th, 2017, 10:53 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Finished up my first smoker this week. Couldn't be happier with the finished product. Thank you to everyone that answered my questions and gave advice. And the fine people on Facebook too. Fired it up yesterday to see how she cooked. It was awesome to see smoke rolling out! It flowed freaking awesome ( based on my newby prespective) nice light smoke almost hard to see. I followed the Feldon calculator for my build, glad I did! I did three Boston butts all of them were awesome!
Thank you all again and Happy New Year.
Thank you all again and Happy New Year.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
- Big T
- Moderator
- Posts: 5650
- Joined: September 1st, 2013, 2:40 pm
- Title: Go Getter
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Backyard Boys
- Location: Lower Alabama
- Rodcrafter
- Moderator
- Posts: 8456
- Joined: July 21st, 2012, 5:46 pm
- Title: Member
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Orlando, Florida
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank




It looks like it works!
Current Smokers: Backyard RF Offset and Hybrid RF Offset trailer rig with Cowboy cooker and fish fryer, always room for more........
- Squiggle
- Expert
- Posts: 2611
- Joined: December 19th, 2015, 5:04 pm
- Title: Reformed non-smoker!
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Mole Creek, Tasmania
- temurf
- Expert
- Posts: 916
- Joined: May 12th, 2016, 7:37 pm
- Title: Train Driver
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Rednecks con Fuego
- Location: El Paso, Texas
-
- Wants to build a smoker
- Posts: 31
- Joined: October 9th, 2017, 10:53 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Hello,
I've been using the crap out of my smoker since i built it. Amazing how much joy I'm getting out of cooking meat! If my wife knew i would get this excited while cooking dinner i would have been given one 20 years ago!
I'm going to make some tuning plates to balance out the temps from end to end. Should they run the whole length of the cook chamber? I am planning of several plates 4"-6" wide. The gap between getting progressively larger towers the end. Or should I do a single plate and drill holes?
What is anyone's take on this?
Thanks
I've been using the crap out of my smoker since i built it. Amazing how much joy I'm getting out of cooking meat! If my wife knew i would get this excited while cooking dinner i would have been given one 20 years ago!
I'm going to make some tuning plates to balance out the temps from end to end. Should they run the whole length of the cook chamber? I am planning of several plates 4"-6" wide. The gap between getting progressively larger towers the end. Or should I do a single plate and drill holes?
What is anyone's take on this?
Thanks
- Rodcrafter
- Moderator
- Posts: 8456
- Joined: July 21st, 2012, 5:46 pm
- Title: Member
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Orlando, Florida
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
I would make them as you stated 6” wide with the first one against the wall on the FB end with about 1/2” gap after it and 3/4” between the next then start opening them up 1/2” more each time. Leave the last 2 out. I say all that because your stack is on the opposite end of your FB. That is fine but I wouldn’t want to force the flow anymore than that. You will get the benefit of radiant heat from the tuning plates so don’t be too concerned about the small gap.
Making memories!
Making memories!
Current Smokers: Backyard RF Offset and Hybrid RF Offset trailer rig with Cowboy cooker and fish fryer, always room for more........
-
- beginner
- Posts: 11
- Joined: January 14th, 2018, 5:48 am
-
- Wants to build a smoker
- Posts: 31
- Joined: October 9th, 2017, 10:53 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Thank you, that kinda what i was thinking. I don't want all the heat to just go out the stack.
I built the hinges with 5/8" bar stock.
I built the hinges with 5/8" bar stock.
-
- Just Got in trouble for buying tools
- Posts: 41
- Joined: October 23rd, 2017, 5:45 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
That look great! I’m picking up the same size cylinder this weekend.
Any reason you didn’t mount the stack at grill level?
Any reason you didn’t mount the stack at grill level?
-
- Just Got in trouble for buying tools
- Posts: 44
- Joined: June 10th, 2017, 8:07 am
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Paint looks great. I’m using Rustoleam high heat and it has a much more matte shine to it. Did you put something over it?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- ajfoxy
- Expert
- Posts: 2254
- Joined: April 12th, 2016, 8:07 pm
- Title: Neophyte Smoker Bldr
- BBQ Comp Team Name: Not competing yet...
- Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Re: Smoker out of a 80 gallon compressor tank
Looks great. Nice job.
Learning generally boils down to "Repetition or the avoidance of pain", some people learn by doing, some by watching and some just have to pee on the electric fence.
Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. Henry Ford
Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. Henry Ford